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Commander Lopez clarified that personnel is trained and certified through various <br /> drone operator schools which abide by federal aviation requirements. <br /> Deputy Chief Andrade spoke regarding operators being required to obtain an <br /> Federal Aviation Administration Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate before operating <br /> the drones and noted that while there is currently no set number of operators, the <br /> program will allow for several backups. He stated that precautions will always be <br /> taken to avoid drone damage and while accidents are not always avoidable, the <br /> drone is a tool that often prevents officers from entering dangerous situations. He <br /> clarified there is a service model in place regarding warranties, drones only record <br /> when activated by an officer, any recordings not classified as evidence will be <br /> purged, and the department will continue to strictly abide by Fourth Amendment <br /> protections. <br /> Commissioner Mejia expressed concern regarding privacy, the use of thermal <br /> technology, the broadness of the policy language, and allowing drone support to <br /> other agencies without language requiring those agencies to abide by Santa Ana's <br /> sanctuary policy. She requested clarification regarding Section N of the policy. <br /> Deputy Chief Andrade stated Section N includes safeguards to allow command staff <br /> to authorize use for unlisted scenarios, the drone policy does not include language <br /> prohibiting assistance with immigration cases, and the Police Department will <br /> continue to abide by the City's Sanctuary Policy or any court ruling prohibiting <br /> specific uses, including thermal technology. <br /> Commissioner Said stated that technology can be helpful to assess or deescalate <br /> situations and there are legal remedies if the drone is used in violation of the Fourth <br /> Amendment. <br /> Commissioner Perea questioned whether there is a current Annual Military <br /> Equipment report, whether drone data would be stored internally, whether the <br /> company maintains access to the footage, and whether the policy prohibits the sale <br /> of collected data. He expressed concern regarding privacy, and third-party server <br /> storage, and stated the current policy is overly broad and could allow for potential <br /> overreach. <br /> Deputy City Manager Vazquez stated the current Annual Military Equipment report <br /> has been presented to the commission and the new report will be presented at an <br /> upcoming meeting. <br /> Commissioner Gawronski asked regarding the total number of drones purchased <br /> and whether the drones are capable of simultaneous operation. She expressed <br /> concern regarding the city-wide use of illegal fireworks, and stated she hopes the <br /> drone program might help alleviate this issue. <br /> Commander Lopez stated there are five drones in total, and clarified two smaller <br /> units are assigned to the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team for field <br /> operations, while the remaining three are designated for calls for service. He stated <br /> multiple drones could be deployed simultaneously, confirmed the drones could be <br /> o illegal fireworks and stated the exac <br /> t operational <br /> related t p <br /> utilized for callsg , <br /> procedures remain to be determined. <br /> POLICE OVERSIGHT COMMISSION 4 MARCH 12, 2026 <br />